Little Village Dollar Tree store closed due to mice

By Staff reportJune 01, 2011

City inspectors closed a Dollar Tree store in the Little Village neighborhood today because of active mice infestation and poor housekeeping, officials said.

Dumpster Task Force inspectors were checking out a complaint in the general area Wednesday when they entered the Dollar Tree store, 2517 W. Cermak Rd., and immediately spotted mice droppings on the ledge in the front window, according to a Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation press release.

More than 350 mice droppings were found throughout the store including underneath bags of candy, rice and snack foods. Inspectors noted that the store had heavy clutter and that a mouse ran past them and into the mess when they opened an interior door, the release said. The rear exterior doors were found to have gaps that gave mice easy access to the store.

The Task Force inspectors said mice had gnawed into bags of multigrain chips, crisp rice treats and chocolate coated peanuts. They also said that mice had gnawed into Mylar sheets and were using the remnants for nesting materials.

The Dollar Tree store was closed for having inadequate pest control and for failure to protect food from contamination. In addtion, a violation was issued for back doors that failed to prevent rodent entry, officials said.

"Store management let their pest and clutter problems get out of hand and that put the health of their customers at risk," Deputy Commissioner Josie Cruz, head of Streets and Sanitation’s Bureau of Rodent Control, said in the release. "Before they are allowed to reopen, store management will need to clean and pest proof their facility, correct all necessary problems, and then pass a tough reinspection," Cruz said.